Reconstruction in TexasBy Zain Syed And rilEy henkener

Reconstruction Begins!

Reconstruction is going on, the civil war is over and states are in ruins, and we need to fix everything and reunite the north and the south. Reconstruction is basically the whole country trying to get back as a whole. Why does reconstruction need to happen is something you might be asking? We can't have our cities in ruins, and we need to join together and get back to the top! Why does reconstruction need to happen is something you might be asking? We can't have our cities in ruins, and we need to join together and get back to the top!

Two presidential plans.

Lincoln’s plan for reconstruction was very lenient, considering he is a republican. All, he required for the south to do was to have only 10% of the state's apologize for seceding and then the confederate states could come back in. Unfortunately, he got assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. This caused riots for both the south and the north. The North is Obviously mad that their REPUBLICAN president is dead. The south is also surprisingly mad. They are mad because they know Johnson is going to be more strict on reconstruction.

Johnson’s plan is more stick consisting of each state had to cancel its act of secession, acknowledge the U.S would not pay their debt, and all confederate states had to ratify the thirteenth amendment which was to abolish slavery.

Slavery ends in Texas!

Gordon Granger commanded a Union force arriving in Galveston on June 19 to uphold the law of abolished slavery. He is bringing a union force to make people cooperate. He says he will use force if necessary to tell slave owners to let them free. By the end of 1865, 250,000 slaves knew they have gained freedom. Granger’s announcement on June 19th sparked many celebrations between African Americans. They call it Juneteenth. Every slave is overjoyed. Many celebrations are going on. Although, there is still a major problem! Slaves do not have equal rights as us and on top of that they do not have jobs or an education. That is where the Freedman’s Bureau comes in. It helped freed people find jobs. If also helped and gave basic necessities to them such as food and clothing. It also has founded public schools to help the slaves become educated so they can get jobs and an income.

New Texas Governor Appointed.

At this point Texas needs a new government. President Johnson he wanted southerners who weren't for seceding because, he wanted people who didn't want to give African Americans rights but still loyal to the Union. For Texas Governor he picked Alexander J. Hamilton. As a result, Hamilton appointed more ex confederates who didn't want to give African Americans rights. Hamilton called for a constitutional convention. Although all the delegates supported secession and the confederacy. This is completely biased, especially since there were no African American delegates! I don't trust them at all to make us a fair constitution. From all I hear, I think they are just editing the original constitution. Outrageous!

A unfair biased constitution.

What did the new constitution of 1866 say?

Delegates are not writing a new, but rather editing the one before the civil war. The constitution nullified secession and the states war debt. Plus, the new constitution abolished slavery. But it stopped there. It never gave them rights to vote, hold a position in office, serving in juries, or testify in court against a white person. Now that is just mean! Also now ex confederates have majority power in the government. They refused to accept the thirteenth amendment, abolishment of slavery, and fourteenth, which protected rights of formerly enslaved people. Although, Texas legislature passed black codes, laws that restricted rights of African Americans. The rules varied a little from state to state but had the same idea. African Americans do not have equal rights to white people. Now that is just corrupt.

Congress Takes control

At this point, Congress thinks Johnson’s reconstruction plan does not give any rights to slaves at all. Radical republicans wanted to change that. They want slaves to be equal with white people and they also want freed African American men to have the right to vote. Although, Johnson still thinks that his reconstruction plan is right and vetoed anything radical republicans wanted to change. Although, congress radical republican to make a reconstruction plan.

Radical Reconstruction Begins.

The new congress plan was much more strict then President Johnson’s plan. It was called the congressional reconstruction plan. The plan declared that all governments in the south are illegal. Much harsher now. The plan also split up the south into five districts. The military would rule each district hence the name military districts. Congress also required each person to take the Ironclad oath which is saying each individual had not voluntarily served in the confederate army or aided the Confederacy. This kept many whites from holding in office or voting although, shockingly they are still proud of being highly racist to African Americans.

Freedman Get The Vote!

Recently, Freedman or blacks that were just freed from slavery were given the right to vote! General Charles Griffin, using the army and the Freedmen's Bureau registered all male freedman while removing many white former confederates from the voting pools. Right now, as of 1868, nearly 50,000 freedman have been registered, but racism has not disappeared. The Ku Klux Klan, is a secret-not so secret organization consisting of white men that was formed after the civil war it uses violence and terrorism against African Americans and people who support them. The KKK is very against carpetbaggers and scalawags because they are very for reconstruction, and therefore are for giving African Americans rights. Here is a true story of a KKK attack that happened recently:

One of these teachers (Miss Allen of Illinois), whose school was at Cotton Gin Port in Monroe County, was visited ... between one and two o'clock in the morning on March 1871, by about fifty men mounted and disguised. Each man wore a long white robe and his face was covered by a loose mask with scarlet stripes. She was ordered to get up and dress which she did at once and then admitted to her room the captain and lieutenant who in addition to the usual disguise had long horns on their heads and a sort of device in front. The lieutenant had a pistol in his hand and he and the captain sat down while eight or ten men stood inside the door and the porch was full. They treated her "gentlemanly and quietly" but complained of the heavy school-tax, said she must stop teaching and go away and warned her that they never gave a second notice. She heeded the warning and left the county.

All information for story from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan

Reconstruction Ends

Reconstruction has finally ended today on March 1870! Although, there are still mad white people. They are getting very mad with how much power blacks have been getting. Currently, most freed people in our dear Texas are living in rural areas, many continuing to work for their white landowners, but some are getting their own land. Today, in 1872, there is a devastating event that just occurred:democrats won a majority of seats in the state's legislature, what does this mean? Democratic presidents will be here every year for a while